September 18, 1893
Great excitement was caused at Blackburn Railway Station on the arrival of the Midland train from Manchester at a quarter-past ten last night, by the report that one of the passengers had poisoned himself. A middle-aged man, apparently a collier, was found in a third-class carriage in great agony and almost unconscious, while on the floor of the carriage lay a broken bottle, labelled “Poison.”
From the statements of two men who travelled in the same carriage, it appears that directly after leaving Darwen the man jumped to his feet and began raving wildly. He tore his neckerchief from his throat, and taking a bottle from his pocket, bit the neck off with his teeth, because the crock stuck, and swallowed the content. His fellow passengers were greatly alarmed, and on nearly fainted with terror at the sight.
At Blackburn the man was carried from the carriage by George Dewar and Tom Brandon, two well-known football players, who happened to be on the platform, and remedies were administered, the man afterwards being removed in an unconscious condition to the infirmary by direction of Dr. Pollard. He is supposed to be a Burnley man, but the only clue to his identity are the initials “J.W.V.” on his belt.
(Source: Sheffield Evening Telegraph: September 19, 1893)
Tom Brandon, from Lancashire Evening Post, December 16 – 1899.
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